Living with Demons, Freaks, and Parents

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by Dr. Chuck Baynard

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Living with Demons, Freaks, and Parents

Dear Pastor,

When will my little brother grow up? He must be possessed by a demon or something. He spends his whole day trying to make my life miserable. How can I be happy living in a house with a demon? – Sam

Dear Sam,

Fight the urge to change someone else in your family. When someone in your family invades your space (and they will) and it makes your life miserable, don’t be too quick to wish things were different. By understanding all viewpoints involved you can find a solution.

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Question: What happens when you use one of these methods to try and change another person or situation?

• Pleading or begging

• Arguing or fighting

• Threatening or manipulating

• Ignoring

• Whining

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Question: Do any of the above methods bring long term relief from the situation?

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Discussion

Change works like this: You may win a temporary reprieve by pleading, begging, fighting, whining, manipulating, ignoring, or threatening. The clue here is the word temporary. Changes obtained by any of these methods will not last. Real change takes place from the inside. Can you change anyone from the inside? No chance! Only God can bring about such an internal change and thus a change that is real and lasts.

The Real Solution

So if you find that you must change someone living under the same roof with you, pray for them. If God wants to change that person (and He probably does if they are all bad as you believe), He can and will. Your heartfelt prayers will cause God to bring about this change in their lives.

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:44 AV)

In the mean time, be kind, courteous, and loving toward the object of your anger and frustration. Though the road may seem long and hard at times, love never loses. God can and will use you and your example of being a kind loving person to work change in the life of your current nightmare. Let love and respect for others rule your life and perhaps you will find that the other person isn’t so bad after all.

Love never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. (1 Corinthians 13:8)

Final Thoughts

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32 AV)

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Questions:

When do two wrongs make a right?
Can a Christian be spiteful? If so, when? (Trick Question – think)

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Application: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” You cannot go to the mall tonight because your younger sister may not go out on a school night. Though this may be “unfair,” how can you make the best of the situation? Is your answer one Jesus would give?

NOTES

List situations in your life this lesson might apply to. What Scripture verse offers “The Real Solution” to your problem?

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Dr. Baynard is an Associate Editor of the Christian Observer and Senior Pastor at Clover Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Clover, South Carolina

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